Food display system integrating retailer services with consumer engagement

ABSTRACT

An equipment monitoring system for a merchandiser. The system includes a control system that defines a data acquisition node, a server that is in remote communication with the control system via a network providing a communication bridge between the data acquisition node and the server, and that includes a database and one or more applications having executable processing instructions, and equipment monitoring sensors that are coupled to one or more components of the merchandiser to obtain status data regarding the status of the one or more components. The equipment monitoring sensors are in communication with the data acquisition node to communicate the status data to the server. The application(s) execute processing instructions that conduct program analysis for the one or more components using the status data based on information associated with the merchandiser to determine a predictive component failure associated with the one or more components.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/570,984, filed Oct. 31, 2017, and now U.S. Pat. No. 10,846,653, whichis a national stage entry of PCT Application No. PCT/US2016/036533,filed Jun. 8, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/172,543, filed on Jun. 8, 2015, and entitled “FoodDisplay System Integrating Retailer Services With Consumer Engagement,”the contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a food display system and, morespecifically, to a system that integrates retailer services withconsumer engagement.

Display systems in food retailing locations are generally known in theart. Generally, these systems are used by grocers, convenience stores,or other retailers of food items to store and display the food items.

While known display systems are effective at storing and displaying fooditems, this effectiveness requires a substantial investment ofman-hours. Individuals are required to invest time to monitor inventoryin the display system, and then when necessary, additional time toreplenish the inventory in the display system.

Furthermore, additional man-hours must be invested to maintain displaysystems, especially systems that regulate temperature for fresh orfrozen food items. Currently, maintenance on existing display systemsand related equipment is reactive—maintenance is often only done after aproblem has been identified. Reactive maintenance often results in lostrevenue due to reduced display space and/or food spoilage. To the extentpreventative maintenance is sought, it involves individuals investingsignificant time in systematic inspection, detection, identification,and correction of equipment issues prior to equipment failure.

Known food display systems also have limited engagement with shoppersand other consumers. For example, retailers attempt to engage withconsumers by providing advertisements that notify consumers of saleitems (e.g., through newspaper inserts, in-store flyers, email, orsocial media). These notifications may also include physical signs at ornear display systems. However, after the consumer identifies and removesthe food item(s) from the display system, the engagement between theconsumer and the display system is complete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides, in one aspect, a system to determine operationand maintenance monitoring, equipment optimization and life cyclemanagement, inventory and supply chain management, and shopperengagement that includes a product display including a control system incommunication with an inventory sensor and an equipment monitoringsensor, and a server in remote communication with the control system,the server containing a database and at least one application. Thecontrol system receives data from the inventory sensor and the equipmentmonitoring sensor, and communicates the data to the server for storagein the database, and at least one application accesses and analyzes thedata stored in the database.

The invention provides, in another aspect, a method of determiningpreventative maintenance for a merchandiser that includes communicatingdata periodically from an equipment monitoring sensor on themerchandiser to a remote server, storing the data in a database on theserver, analyzing the data in the database by a program to determinewhether an equipment failure is predicted, generating electroniccorrespondence to an electronic device indicating a predicted equipmentfailure, a recommended repair or replacement, and providing aninteractive scheduling selector, and sending the electroniccorrespondence to the electronic device.

The invention provides, in another aspect, a method of life cyclemanagement of a merchandise that includes communicating dataperiodically from an equipment monitoring sensor on the merchandiser toa remote server, storing the data in a database on the server, analyzingthe data in the database by a program to determine at least one of theamount of energy being consumed by the merchandiser, the total cost ofownership of the merchandiser, a sustainability metric, an option toreduce energy consumption, or an option to reduce the total cost ofownership, and communicating the results of the analyzing step to arecipient by an electronic device.

The invention provides, in another aspect, a method of supply chainmanagement of a merchandiser that includes detecting a missing productin a shelf by an inventory sensor, confirming the existence ofreplenishing inventory of the missing product, determining the locationof the replenishing inventory after successfully confirming theexistence, and communicating the missing product in the shelf and thelocation of the replenishing inventory to a remote electronic device byan electronic communication.

The invention provides, in another aspect, a method of improving shopperengagement with a merchandiser in a retail environment that includesgathering purchasing preferences of a consumer, storing the purchasingpreferences in an electronic database on a server, accessing thedatabase to send communications to the consumer relating to thepurchasing preferences by one of electronic communication or socialmedia, detecting the presence of the consumer in the retail environmentby a mobile device, generating a customized product promotion for theconsumer by accessing the purchasing preferences stored in the database,detecting the consumer by the merchandiser communicating with the mobiledevice, and presenting the customized product promotion to the consumerthrough the merchandiser.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent byconsideration of the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary display system, illustratedas a merchandiser, embodying aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system embodying thepresent invention and including a retail environment having at least onemerchandiser in communication with a database that is connected to aserver.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of an example of the retail environmenthaving a plurality of merchandisers arranged within the environment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the display system ofFIG. 1, illustrating a data acquisition node in communication with aplurality of sensors.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a portion of the system ofFIG. 2 and including a monitoring and managed services center thatanalyzes operations and maintenance information of the merchandiser.

FIG. 6 is a depiction of the merchandiser and associated system thatimplements one or more applications.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for analyzingoperations and maintenance of the merchandiser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an example of a graphical depiction of the retail environmentgenerated by the exemplary process illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart further illustrating aspects of the real-timenotification to a service technician during the scheduling processdepicted in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary predictive equipmentfailure analysis performed by the process for analyzing operations andmaintenance of the merchandiser in FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of aspects of the process of FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for analyzingoperational and maintenance data from the merchandiser of FIG. 1 formanagement of equipment related to the merchandiser.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of certain aspects and advantages of the processof FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for inventoryand supply chain management for the merchandiser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of certain aspects of the process of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for shopperengagement with the merchandiser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 17 is a flow chart of certain aspects of the process of FIG. 16.

Before any embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail,it should be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details or construction and the arrangement ofcomponents as set forth in the following description or as illustratedin the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or of being carried out in various ways. It should beunderstood that the description of specific embodiments is not intendedto limit the disclosure from covering all modifications, equivalents andalternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology usedherein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded aslimiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention illustrated in the Figures and disclosed herein isgenerally directed to one or more examples of a merchandiser 10 andassociated system that implements one or more applications 92 to provideoperations and maintenance monitoring, including a determination ofpreventative maintenance, equipment (or asset) optimization and lifecycle management, inventory and supply chain management, and improvedshopper engagement in a retail environment.

For ease of discussion and understanding, and for purposes ofdescription only, the following detailed description will refer to amerchandiser 10. It should be appreciated that the term ‘merchandiser’is provided as an example of a storage and display unit. The termmerchandiser 10 may include any other suitable product display, productstorage, product storage and display unit, or display system including,but not limited to, a display case, a self-service case, a shelf, anyother suitable type of storage structure (e.g., in a storage room), orany suitable storage and/or display structure. The merchandiser 10 maybe an open-front merchandiser, a reach-in refrigerator, a floralmerchandiser, a wine merchandiser, a coffin-style merchandiser, a dualservice merchandiser, or any other known or future developedrefrigerated or non-refrigerated merchandiser or product storage and/ordisplay for use with one or more applications 92, 150, 250, 350, 450that are described in additional detail below. The merchandiser 10 canhave any suitable storage and display unit orientation, for example avertical orientation or a horizontally-oriented orientation. Inaddition, the merchandiser 10 can be an ambient-temperature merchandiser(e.g., an environment not having a temperature control), or themerchandiser 10 can include a temperature-controlled environment (e.g.,product support or display area). The temperature-controlled environmentcan be a warm or hot environment, a medium temperature environment(e.g., between approximately 33-41 degrees Fahrenheit), or a lowtemperature environment (e.g., below approximately 32 degreesFahrenheit). In addition, the merchandiser 10 may be configured tomaintain any desired temperature or range of temperatures.

The following detailed description will refer to food, food product,food items, or product. These terms are provided as an example ofproducts or items that may be displayed and stored in a merchandiser,and are presented for ease of discussion and understanding. It should beappreciated that the systems disclosed herein are not necessarilylimited to food, food product, or food items. One or more aspects of thedisclosed systems may be utilized with any product that is stored and/ordisplayed for access and purchase by a consumer. For example, productmay include, but is not limited to, clothing or other dry goods,hardware, groceries, or any other tangible good.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary merchandiser 10 in the form of avertical refrigerated merchandiser. The merchandiser 10 includes a case15 that has a base 20 and opposing sidewalls 25. The case 15 alsoincludes a top or canopy 30 and a rear wall 35 positioned opposite anaccess opening 40. Although the illustrated merchandiser 10 includes aplurality of doors 45 covering the access opening 40, the merchandiser10 can be an open-front merchandiser without doors. The doors 45 aremounted to a frame 50 that includes mullions 55 separating each of thedoors 45. Doors 45 may be hinged or sliding doors. The case 15 defines aproduct support area 60 and has shelves 65 coupled to the rear wall 35to support product in the product support area 60. The merchandiser 10is illustrated as a singular case with one section and one productsupport area 60 defined by the section. As will be appreciated, themerchandiser can include one or more sections, with each sectiondefining a product support area that makes up the overall productsupport area 60 of the merchandiser 10.

A control system 70 is connected to the merchandiser 10. In theillustrated embodiment, the control system 70 is attached to thesidewall 25, and can include a user interface (e.g., a display, ascreen, a touchscreen, a stylus, a keyboard, etc.). In otherembodiments, the control system 70 can be attached at any suitablelocation on the merchandiser 10 (e.g., on the top 30, etc.), proximateto the merchandiser 10, or at any suitable location in which the controlsystem can be in communication with the merchandiser 10. The controlsystem 70 may be removable from the merchandiser 10, and take the formof a tablet computer or other hand held computing device. In otherembodiments, the control system 70 can be any suitable stationary orportable device (e.g., a computer, a laptop, a smartphone, etc.).

Referring to FIG. 2, the control system 70 includes a programmablecomputer system including random access memory (RAM) 72, a computerreadable storage medium or hard drive 74, at least one microprocessor76, and a communication link 78. The communication link 78 facilitatescommunication with a product detection sensor or inventory sensor 80 andan equipment monitoring sensor 82 provided in the merchandiser 10, and anetwork 85 (e.g., LAN, WAN, Internet, cellular, wired or wireless or acombination of both, etc.). The communication between the communicationlink 78 and the inventory sensor 80, the equipment monitoring sensor 82,and the network 85 may be wired, wireless (e.g., a connection such asBluetooth, ANT+, NFC, ZigBee, Z-Wave, etc.), or a combination of both.

The control system 70 is in communication with the inventory sensor 80and the equipment monitoring sensor 82 provided in the merchandiser 10.The inventory sensor 80 may be any suitable device for detecting thepresence or absence of product(s) in the merchandiser 10. The sensor 80can include, but is not limited to, an infrared sensor, a camera, avideo monitor, a weighted pad (e.g., an “out-of-stock sensor” marketedunder the brand name POWERSHELF, etc.), or any other suitable device fordetection of product(s).

The equipment monitoring sensor 82 encompasses one or more sensors thatmonitor an aspect or aspects of one or more components of themerchandiser 10. The one or more components can include, but is notlimited to, a motor, a compressor, a heat exchanger, a pump, acondenser, a refrigeration system, a heating system, one or more lights,a thermostat, a door, a door hinge, a fan assembly, etc. The equipmentmonitoring sensor 82 can include, but is not limited to, anaccelerometer that measures vibration of a motor or other component, adoor status switch that measures the number of times one or more doors45 open or close, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, anelectricity or power usage monitor that measures power consumption ofthe merchandiser 10 or one or more components thereof, or any othersuitable device that measures or monitors at least one aspect of one ormore components of the merchandiser 10.

While the control system 70 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being connectedto a single merchandiser 10, in other embodiments a group ofmerchandisers 10 or a sub-set of merchandisers 10 may be connected tothe control system 70. As illustrated in FIG. 3, an exemplary retailenvironment or setting 87, shown as a store 87, includes a plurality ofmerchandisers 10 a arranged in aisles, and a plurality of merchandisers10 b arranged in islands. In the retail environment 87, the controlsystem 70 may be in communication with one or more of a plurality ofinventory sensors 80 and/or a plurality of equipment monitoring sensors80 associated with respective merchandisers 10 in the group. Similarly,the control system 70 may be in communication with inventory sensor(s)80 and/or equipment monitoring sensor(s) 82 respectively associated withthe sub-set of merchandisers 10. Referring back to FIG. 2, the retailenvironment 87 is illustrated in broken lines because the environment 87may take the form of any desired layout, and may include any number ofmerchandisers 10 arranged in any desired layout. For example, themerchandisers 10 (or a sub-set of the merchandisers 10) can be arrangedthroughout the retail environment 87 in any suitable layout,arrangement, or combination of arrangements.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the network 85 is in communication with aserver 89. The server 89 is preferably remote from the merchandiser 10,with the network 85 providing a communication bridge between the controlsystem 70 and the server 89. The server 89 is a data storage systemaccessible through the network 85 (local) or the Internet 85(cloud-based), and includes at least one database 90 and at least oneapplication 92 (that includes a series of processing instructions orsteps). Information is communication from the merchandiser 10 to theserver 89, with portions of the information being stored by the database90. The server 89 may be any suitable computing system, and can include,but is not limited to, a personal computer, a notebook computer, aserver computer, a mainframe, a networked computer, a handheld computer,a workstation, and the like.

The merchandiser 10 may also include one or more light sources (notshown), graphical representations (not shown), indicia (not shown) orother aspects or features disclosed in one or more of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/301,264 (filed Jun. 10, 2014 and entitled“System and Method for Interaction with a Retail Environment”), U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/301,262 (filed Jun. 10, 2014 and entitled“System and Method for Generating a Virtual Representation of a RetailEnvironment”), U.S. Pat. No. 8,164,274 (filed Jul. 20, 2007 and entitled“Product Display System, and Method for Illuminating a Product”), U.S.Pat. No. 8,684,268 (filed Apr. 24, 2012 and entitled “Product DisplaySystem, Profile Assembly for a Product Display System, and Method forIlluminating a Product”), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/874,781(filed May 1, 2013 and entitled “Portable Device and Method for ProductLighting Control, Product Display Lighting Method and System, Method forControlling Product Lighting, and Method for Setting Product DisplayLocation Lighting”), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/125,734 (filedMay 22, 2008 and entitled “Supply Chain Management System”), U.S. Pat.No. 6,764,004 (filed Apr. 4, 2003 and entitled “Logistics ChainManagement System”), and U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,515 (filed Mar. 12, 2004and entitled “Logistics Chain Management System”), each applicationbeing commonly assigned at the time of filing of this application, andthe contents of each application being incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating another embodiment of themerchandiser 10. In this embodiment, the merchandiser 10 includes aplurality of sections (or case sections) 94 a, 94 b, 94 c (i.e., a firstcase section 94 a, a second case section 94 b, and a third case section94 c). Each section 94 a, 94 b, 94 c is accessible by a respective door45 (shown in FIG. 1). As illustrated, the control system 70 takes theform of a data acquisition node (“DAN”) or sensor hub 70 that is mountedto a portion of the merchandiser 10. For purposes of the claims, theterms ‘control system’ ‘data acquisition node’, and ‘sensor hub’ aresynonymous. The data acquisition node 70 is in communication with aplurality of equipment monitoring sensors 82 associated with themerchandiser 10. The data acquisition node 70 is configured to receivedata (or information) from each of the plurality of equipment monitoringsensors 82 by communication lines (e.g., wired, wireless, etc.), whichare illustrated in FIG. 4 by broken lines.

With reference to FIG. 4, the data acquisition node 70 is incommunication with a temperature sensor 96 (e.g., a thermometer, etc.)that measures an ambient temperature of the retail environment 87, and ahumidity sensor 98 (e.g., a hygrometer, etc.) that measures a relativehumidity of the retail environment 87. The sensors 96, 98 respectivelycommunicate temperature and humidity data measurements from the retailenvironment 87 to the data acquisition node 70.

The data acquisition node 70 is also in communication with one or moresensors that measure one or more aspects related to electricity (orelectrical power) associated with one or more components of themerchandiser 10. The data acquisition node 70 is in communication with asensor 100 (e.g., a load sensor, power analyzer, etc.) that measures aninput electrical power or electrical load provided to the merchandiser10.

The data acquisition node 70 is also in communication with one or moresensors 102 that measure electricity usage by a light (or lights orlight assembly) that illuminates one or more areas in the merchandiser10. The sensor(s) 102 can measure voltage, amperage, wattage, and/or apower factor used by the light (or lights or light assembly).Accordingly, the sensor(s) 102 can include, but is not limited to, avoltmeter, an ammeter, a wattmeter, and/or any other suitable sensor formeasuring an aspect of electrical power, electrical usage, or electricalload provided to the light (or lights or light assembly).

In addition, the data acquisition node 70 is in communication with oneor more sensors 104 that measure electricity usage by a fan (or fanassembly) that cycles refrigerated air through the merchandiser 10. Thesensor(s) 104 can measure voltage, amperage, wattage, and/or a powerfactor associated with the fan (or fan assembly). Accordingly, thesensor(s) 104 can include, but is not limited to, a voltmeter, anammeter, a wattmeter, and/or any other suitable sensor for measuring anaspect of electrical power, electrical usage, or electrical loadprovided to the fan (or fan assembly).

The data acquisition node 70 also is in communication with one or moresensors 106 that measure energy usage by the refrigeration system thatcools air that is cycled through the merchandiser 10 (e.g., by avapor-compression refrigeration cycle, etc.). The sensor(s) 106 canmeasure voltage, amperage, wattage, and/or a power factor associatedwith the fan (or fan assembly). Accordingly, the sensor(s) 106 caninclude, but is not limited to, a voltmeter, an ammeter, a wattmeter,and/or any other suitable sensor for measuring an aspect of electricalpower, electrical usage, or electrical load provided to therefrigeration system. In other embodiments, the refrigeration system canbe substituted with a heating system.

The illustrated data acquisition node 70 also can be in communicationwith pressure and temperature sensors positioned on a suction side andon a discharge side of the refrigeration system. More specifically, thedata acquisition node 70 is in communication with one or more sensors108 to measure a pressure (e.g., by a pressure gauge, etc.) and/or atemperature (e.g., by a thermometer, etc.) of refrigerant on thedischarge side, and one or more sensors 110 to measure a pressure (e.g.,by a pressure gauge, etc.) and/or a temperature (e.g., by a thermometer,etc.) of refrigerant on the suction side. In addition, the illustrateddata acquisition node 70 is in communication with a temperature sensor112 (e.g., a thermometer, etc.) that measures a temperature ofrefrigerant at a coil (e.g., an evaporator coil, a condenser coil,etc.). The illustrated merchandiser 10 includes three evaporator coils,with one coil associated with a corresponding case section 94, a, b, c.Accordingly, the data acquisition node 70 is in communication with threetemperature sensors 112 a, b, c. However, in other embodiments, themerchandiser can include a single coil / evaporator coil, or a pluralityof coils / evaporator coils. In yet other embodiments, the coil caninclude any device interacting with air to cool (or heat) the air.

The illustrated data acquisition node 70 is further in communicationwith a temperature sensor 114 (e.g., a thermometer, etc.) that isconfigured to measure refrigerated air temperature where refrigeratedair is enters the merchandiser 10 (i.e., an air inlet temperature), anda temperature sensor 116 (e.g., a thermometer, etc.) that is configuredto measure refrigerated air temperature where refrigerated air exits themerchandiser 10 (i.e., an air outlet temperature).

The illustrated data acquisition node 70 also is in communication with aplurality of sensors related to user access of the merchandiser 10. Morespecifically, the data acquisition node 70 is in communication with alight sensor 118 that is configured to detect when a light (or lights orlight assembly) positioned in the merchandiser 10 is on (orilluminated). In addition, the data acquisition node 70 is incommunication with a motion sensor 120 (e.g., occupancy sensor) that isconfigured to detect movement or motion within (or near or proximate)the merchandiser 10. The data acquisition node 70 is also incommunication with a door state sensor 122 that is configured to detectwhen a door 45 is open or closed. The illustrated merchandiser 10includes three doors 45, with a door state sensor 122 associated witheach door (e.g., a first door state sensor 122 a, a second door statesensor 122 b, a third door state sensor 122 c). Generally, a door statesensor 122 is associated with each door 45 of the merchandiser 10.

For purposes of this disclosure, it should be appreciated that sensors96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122 cancumulatively be considered equipment monitoring sensors 82. In addition,the terms “measure” or “measures” can include measure, monitor, acquire,detecting, or any other term associated with data acquisition by asensor.

The data acquisition node 70 receives data acquired from one or more ofthe sensors 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118,120, 122. The data acquisition node 70 then communicates the data withthe server 89 (e.g., by transmission generated by the data acquisitionnode 70, by a query generated by the server 89, by a query generated bythe application 92, etc.). The data is then stored in the database 90(see FIG. 2). It will be appreciated that the data acquisition node 70can be in communication with other or additional sensors of the system.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a retail management center 128 is incommunication with the server 89. The center 128 includes at least oneprogrammable computer system 130 that is in communication with theserver 89. The center 128 also includes a monitoring system 132 foractively monitoring at least one retail environment or store 87. Thecenter 128 receives, analyzes, and otherwise utilizes the datatransmitted by the merchandiser(s) 10 in the retail environment 87, andwhich is stored in the database 90 on the server 89. The monitoringsystem 132 can also be in communication with the application 92.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary system that implements one or more systemapplications 92. The exemplary applications 92 illustrated in the systeminclude an operation and maintenance application 150, an equipmentoptimization and life cycle management application 250, an inventory andsupply chain management application 350, and a shopper engagementapplication 450. Each of the exemplary applications 92 will now bedisclosed in additional detail.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary application 92 in the form of an operationsand maintenance application 150 for analyzing operational andmaintenance information associated with the retail environment 87, whichincludes one or more merchandiser(s) 10, to manage maintenance anddetermine a preventative maintenance process. It should be appreciatedthat the application 150 is also illustrated in a portion of FIG. 5. Theapplication 150 includes a series of processing instructions or steps,which are depicted in a flow chart or a flow diagram form. Theapplication 150 may be stored on the server 89 or on the computer system130 of the monitoring and managed services center 128. The application150 begins at step 155, where the merchandiser 10 is in communicationwith the server 89, and at least one equipment monitoring sensor 82associated with the merchandiser 10 is operating and periodicallycollecting data associated with the merchandiser 10 or componentsthereof.

Next, at step 160, the control system 70 acquires and communicates dataacquired from the equipment monitoring sensor(s) 82 to the database 90.This data and other information (e.g., store name, store location, city,state, etc.) are stored in the database 90 at step 165. Examples of thedata communicated by the merchandiser 10 and stored in the database 90can include, but is not limited to, vibration information acquired atintervals from an accelerometer associated with a motor or othercomponent of the merchandiser 10, the counter or other data associatedwith the door opening switch that measures the number of times one ormore doors 45 open, and the electricity usage information collected bythe electricity usage monitor that measures power consumption of themerchandiser 10 or one or more components thereof. The data can alsoinclude additional information, such as chronological information (e.g.,time and date of data acquisition), equipment or componentidentification information, merchandiser 10 identification information,merchandiser 10 location within the retail environment 87 information,and retail environment 87 identification information (e.g., store name,store location, city, state, etc.).

At step 170, the application 150 communicates with the database 90 toacquire the stored equipment monitoring sensor(s) data. The dataacquired may be any desired portion or sub-set of the data in thedatabase 90, up to and including the entirety of the data. Next, at step175, the application 150 conducts a predictive equipment failureanalysis by executing a program or computer-enabled instructions (e.g.,instructions implemented on a processor). The instructions can includestream analytics and machine learning relative to those streams tocapture real time and historical performance of the merchandiser 10based on the data. In the analysis, the program gathers, manipulates,conducts calculations, and analyzes the data to ascertain and predict arisk of failure based on certain known information. For example, programanalysis can include conducting calculations on the vibrationinformation acquired by the accelerometer (e.g., moving averages,trends, etc.), and analyzing the results of the calculations againstdata indicative of anticipated failure (e.g., vibration levelsindicating anticipated equipment failure). As another example, theprogram analysis can include conducting calculations on the counter orother data associated with the door opening switch that measures thenumber of times one or more doors 45 are opened, and analyzing theresults of the calculations against known data indicative of anticipatedfailure (e.g., a total number of openings indicative of anticipated door45, door hinge failure, etc.). In another example, the program analysiscan include conducting calculations on the electricity usage informationcollected by the electricity usage monitor that measures powerconsumption of the merchandiser 10 or one or more components thereof,and analyzing the results of the calculations against known dataindicative of anticipated failure (e.g., electricity load or consumptionlevels indicative of an equipment failure).

In another example, the program analysis can include monitoring one ormore of the equipment monitoring sensors 82 associated with themerchandiser 10. If or when one (or more) of the equipment monitoringsensors 82 is detected in an out of limit condition (e.g., outside of apre-set limit or set point, which can include above or below the limitor set point, etc.), the program analysis can analyze other equipmentmonitoring sensors 82 to determine whether the out of limit condition isdue to normal use, or a potential equipment failure or an existingequipment failure. An exemplary program analysis is illustrated in FIG.10, which is discussed in additional detail below.

At step 180, the application 150 makes a determination whether anequipment failure is anticipated or predicted. If the application 150does not make such a determination (i.e. “No” at step 180), theapplication 150 can generate a graphical depiction of the retailenvironment 87 that illustrates a status of the merchandiser(s) 10 andassociated equipment. The application 150 then returns to step 170 foradditional data acquisition and analysis. The additional analysis can beconducted in real time, near-real time, or at periodic intervals.

If the application 150 does make a determination that an equipmentfailure is predicted (i.e. “Yes” at step 180), the application 150 movesto step 182 and generates a graphical depiction of the retailenvironment 87 illustrating a status of the merchandiser(s) 10 andassociated equipment.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary graphical depiction of the retailenvironment 87 referenced in step 182. The depiction 183 illustrates thearrangement of merchandiser(s) 10 in the retail environment 87, andpredicted maintenance statuses. In the illustrated example, thegraphical depiction 183 includes a floor plan 184 a of the retailenvironment 87 that shows the arrangement of merchandisers 10 and thatgraphically depicts the predicted maintenance statuses with color codes(e.g., “red” indicating a predicted equipment failure, “yellow”indicating a potential item of concern, and “green” indicating no issueor concern), and a list of specific items being monitored 184 bassociated with the color coding. The item(s) monitored can include anyitem related to the device or equipment or functionality beingmonitored. The graphical depiction 183 can be electronically accessed byor sent to the retail management center 128. The graphical depictiongenerated in step 181 can be substantially the same as the graphicaldepiction generated in step 182 (and illustrated as depiction 183 inFIG. 8), however the depiction generated in step 181 likely will notinclude equipment having a coding indicating a predicted equipmentfailure.

Referring back to FIG. 7, next at step 185 the application 150 generatesand sends correspondence to an electronic device that is accessible by arecipient. The recipient may include, but is not limited to, an owner, auser, or any other person, party, or group that is responsible for themerchandiser 10 at the retail environment or store 87. Thecorrespondence may be an email, hyperlink to a website, an application,or other electronic correspondence that provides information of thepredicted equipment failure, a recommendation for repair or replacement,and an interactive scheduling selector or tool to confirm whether therecipient desires service for repair or replacement of the equipment(e.g., a first icon that states “press here to schedule service” and asecond icon that states “press here to not schedule service.”).

At step 190, the recipient receives the correspondence and interactswith the interactive scheduling selector. If the recipient interactswith the selector and chooses not to schedule service on the equipment(e.g., “No” at step 190), the process 150 proceeds to step 195 andgenerates information indicating the correspondence was sent to theappropriate recipient, the recipient did not elect schedule service,stores the information in the database 90, and returns to step 170 foradditional data acquisition and analysis.

If the recipient interacts with the selector and chooses to scheduleservice on the equipment (e.g., “Yes” at step 190), the process 150proceeds to step 200, where the process identifies an appropriateservice technician (e.g., based on geography, technical expertise,availability, etc.), determines the schedule availability of theappropriate service technician, determines the availability ofappropriate replacement parts or components (e.g., whether appropriatereplacement parts or components are available in a storage facility inthe geographic area), and if the replacement parts or components areunavailable, places an order for the appropriate replacement parts orcomponents. Based on the availability of the appropriate servicetechnician, the technician's schedule, and availability of thereplacement part or components, the process 150 determines and presentsone or more scheduling options to the recipient.

At step 205, the recipient selects the desired scheduling option. Theprocess 150 proceeds to step 210, where the service technician isscheduled for the selected service (e.g., the service technicianreceives notification of the scheduled service). Referring to FIG. 9,the service technician scheduling step at 210 is a near real-time orreal-time notification to the service technician that can include one ormore notifications. At step 211, the process sends a first notificationto the service technician indicating the scheduling of the selectedservice. The notification can include information relating to the timeand date of the scheduled service, and the location of the scheduledservice (e.g., the trade or common name of the retail environment, astreet address, a city / state, a map, entrance instructions, etc.). Thenotification can be sent by electronic communication to the servicetechnician, for example by email or text message. In addition, thenotification can include a confirmation feature whereby the processgenerates an indication that the notification was received and confirmedby the service technician. For example, the notification may include aninteractive selector or tool for to confirm receipt by the servicetechnician (e.g., an icon that states “please press here to confirmreceipt of scheduled service”). In other embodiments, the notificationmay include an embedded or automatic notification that verifies receiptand/or confirmation by the service technician (e.g., a read receipt orother receipt that triggers once the notification is accessed, such asby opening of the email or other electronic confirmation).

Next, at step 212, the process 150 can provide information to theservice technician regarding the predicted or known failure. Theinformation can include an indication of one or more components thathave a predicted failure (or are likely to fail or are anticipated tofail or have failed). In addition, the information can include an order(or hierarchy) for evaluating one or more of the components for failure.

At step 213, the process 150 can present a recommendation of spare partsto the service technician relating to the predicted failure. The spareparts recommendation can include components, parts, tools, or any otherrelated materials associated with the anticipated failure.

Next, at step 214, the process 150 can present a recommendation ofadditional components and/or equipment for inspection, maintenance,and/or replacement. The recommendation can be listing of one or morecomponents and/or equipment, and can be related to preventativemaintenance. The recommendation can be generated based on predictiveservice needs, for example based on trends generated from analysis ofdata from one or more sensors 82, from operational limits (e.g.,recommended number of operational hours before anticipated failure,etc.), or other analytics based, entirely or in-part, on analysis ofdata from one or more sensors 82, etc.

At step 215, the process 150 can present a recommendation of spare partsto the service technician relating to the recommendation of additionalcomponents and/or equipment for inspection, maintenance, and/orreplacement. The spare parts recommendation can include components,parts, tools, or any other related materials associated with each of thecomponents and/or equipment identified for recommended inspection,maintenance, and/or replacement.

Steps 212-215 advantageously improve efficiency of the servicetechnician during a service trip, as in addition to necessary and/orrequired repairs, the service technician can address preventativemaintenance concerns. The recommendation for spare parts can alsoimprove efficiency of the service technician during a service trip, asthe service technician can be prepared for actual and/or potentialrepairs, minimizing lost repair time due to travel to acquirealternative spare parts.

It should be appreciated that one or more of the notifications and/orrecommendations provided to the service technician in steps 212 to 215can be sent in the notification generated in step 211, in a separate,second notification that can be generated after confirmation of receiptby the service technician in step 211, via a gateway accessible by theservice technician (e.g., a hyperlink or other electronic access, etc.),or in any other suitable notification system (e.g., by a web-basedcommunication portal, text message, email, etc.).

After scheduling of the service technician, the process 150 can providea gateway for the recipient to reschedule the service technician at step220. For example, the process 150 may provide a hyperlink or otherelectronic connection to provide the recipient access to return to step200 (shown in broken lines) to receive and then select another desiredscheduling option. The process 150 then returns to step 170 foradditional data acquisition and analysis.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of the predictive equipment failureanalysis performed at step 175. The predictive equipment failureanalysis monitors one or more of the equipment monitoring sensors 82,and in response to a detected out of limit condition, analyzes the dataacquired by the one or more of the equipment monitoring sensors 82 toremotely determine a probably root cause of the out of limit condition.

At step 230, the predictive equipment failure analysis 175 is monitoringone or more of the equipment monitoring sensors 82 (e.g., one or more ofthe sensors 96, 98, 100, 102, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118,120, 122, etc.). The program or computer-enabled instructions (e.g.,instructions implemented on a processor, or processing steps, etc.) isin communication with the acquisition node 70 and the database 90 toaccess data generated by one or more of the equipment monitoring sensors82. This data is analyzed comparatively against a pre-set limit or setpoint for each monitored sensor 82. The limit or set point can include adata point or a range (e.g., a high limit and a low limit). If theanalysis determines that the monitored sensor 82 is within the limit orset point (i.e., the answer is “yes”), the process continues to monitorthe sensor 82. If the analysis determines that the monitored sensor 82is within the limit or set point, for example the data from themonitored sensor 82 is above a high limit or below a low limit, (i.e.,the answer is “no”), the process moves to step 234.

At step 234, the analysis 175 evaluates (or analyzes) one or moreadditional sensors 82 to perform a remote root cause analysis. The rootcause analysis reduces false alarms, while also determines a root causefor generation of the out of limit condition. The root cause analysis234 is illustrated in association with a high discharge temperaturealarm, resulting from detection of an out of limit condition of thedischarge air temperature sensor 116 (shown in FIG. 4). However, theroot cause analysis 234 is not limited to analyzing the out of limitcondition of the discharge air temperature sensor 116, as the root causeanalysis 234 can be applicable to any out of limit condition associatedwith any of the equipment monitoring sensors 82. In addition, at step234, a timer can initiate. The timer tracks the length of time of theout of limit condition.

Next, at step 236, the analysis analyzes a first sensor (or a firstoperational condition), and more specifically the door state sensor(s)122 (shown in FIG. 4). The analysis is evaluating whether one of thedoor(s) 45 associated with the merchandiser 10 is in an openconfiguration or position. If one of the door state sensors 122 detectsthe associated door 45 in an open position (i.e., the answer is “yes”),the analysis returns to step 230 and repeats, as the out of limitcondition of the discharge air temperature sensor 116 is likely causedby one (or more) of the doors 45 being open. If one of the door statesensors 122 does not detect the associated door 45 in an open position(i.e., the answer is “no”), the analysis proceeds to step 238.

At step 238, the analysis analyzes a second sensor (or a secondoperational condition), and more specifically the fan (or fan assembly)to determine whether the fan is operational. If the analysis determinesthat the fan is not operational (i.e., the answer is “no”), the analysisreturns to step 230 and repeats, as the merchandiser 10 will initiateoperation of the fan to lower the discharge air temperature inassociation with normal operation. If the analysis determines that thefan is operational (i.e., the answer is “yes”), the analysis proceeds tostep 240.

Next, at step 240 the analysis analyzes a third sensor (or a thirdoperational condition), and more specifically the operational conditionthat the merchandiser 10 can be in a defrost operational mode. If theanalysis determines that the defrost mode of the merchandiser 10 isoperational (i.e., the answer is “yes”), which can result in an increasein discharge air temperature, the analysis returns to step 230 andrepeats. If the analysis determines that the defrost mode of themerchandiser 10 is not operational (i.e., the answer is “no”), theanalysis proceeds to step 242.

At step 242, the analysis analyzes a fourth sensor (or a fourthoperational condition), and more specifically whether a time limit ofthe timer that began at step 234 has been exceeded. If the time limit ofthe timer has not been exceeded, and the out of limit condition is nolonger detected (e.g., the discharge air temperature sensor 116 is nolonger outside of the limit or set point, etc.) (i.e., the answer is“no”), the accrued time of the out of limit condition is stored in thedatabase 90 for later analysis or use at step 243 (e.g., to updatebaseline operational characteristics of the merchandiser 10 to improveanalysis accuracy, etc.) before the analysis returns to step 230 andrepeats. If the limit of the timer has exceeded, and the out of limitcondition is still detected (i.e., the answer is “yes”), the analysisproceeds to step 244, where an alarm is activates (e.g., a discharge airthreshold alarm, etc.) and an equipment failure is predicted.

FIG. 11 illustrates other examples of the asset management aspect of theprocess 150, which includes lifecycle management and asset optimization,shown in a flow chart format. The operations and maintenance includes areal time asset inventory and tracking portion 245 that is incommunication with an operational effectiveness portion 246, and apredictive and proactive asset management portion 247. Each portion 245,246, 247 is in communication with the network or Internet 85 and thedatabase 90. The real time asset inventory and tracking portion 245tracks historical equipment, service, and performance data relating toboth in-service merchandisers 10 and out-of-service merchandisers 10.This information facilitates improved management of the merchandisers10, as it provides for informed decisions relating to merchandiser 10maintenance and/or replacement. The portion 245 can also providemerchandiser 10 data in association with consumer presence, consumertravel patterns, and inventory to provide information that can be usedfor store level improvements (e.g., replacement or repositioning ofmerchandisers 10, etc.). The operational effectiveness portion 246provides information relating to merchandisers 10 in the retailenvironment 87 to improve operational performance, refrigerantmanagement, energy consumption, and return on investment of themerchandisers 10. The predictive and proactive asset management portion247 can improve inventory management, store layout, and productplacement to improve store level profitability. In addition, theproactive and preventative maintenance programs reduce the cost ofoperations and maintenance services. The asset management aspect of theprocess 150 advantageously leverages operational data, includingoperations, supply chain, and engagement data to provide real-timeinsight. Further, the aspect improves gross revenue by allowing for datadriven merchandiser 10 configurations in the retail environment 87 toimprove retail experiences, and in turn improve sales. Further, theaspect reduces operational costs by improved maintenance of operationalcomponents of each merchandiser 10.

FIG. 12 depicts another exemplary application in the form of anequipment (or asset) optimization and life cycle management application250. The application 250 actively manages the life cycle ofmerchandisers 10 and other assets in the field (e.g. in retailenvironments or retail settings 87) through data analysis. Theapplication 250 includes a series of processing instructions or steps,which are depicted in a flow chart or a flow diagram form. Theapplication 250 may be stored on the server 89 or on the computer system130 of the monitoring and managed services center 128. It should beappreciated that the application 250 is also illustrated in a portion ofFIG. 6.

The application 250 begins at step 255, at which point the merchandiser10 is in communication with the server 89, and at least one equipmentmonitoring sensor 82 associated with the merchandiser 10 is operatingand periodically collecting data associated with the merchandiser 10 orcomponents thereof.

Next, at step 260, the control system 70 acquires and communicates datafrom the equipment monitoring sensor(s) 82 to the database 90. This dataand other information is stored in the database 90 at step 265. Examplesof the data communicated by the merchandiser 10 and stored in thedatabase 90 are the same as those disclosed in association with step 165of the application 150.

At step 270, additional operational data and information is communicatedto the database 90 for storage. For example, the additional informationcan include, but is not limited to, repair information regardingmerchandisers 10 or components thereof (e.g., chronological informationrelating to a repair, identification information as to what componentwas repaired, etc.), replacement information relevant to merchandiser 10components (e.g., chronological information relating to a replacement,identification information as to what component was replaced, etc.), andoperational or control parameters of the merchandiser 10 (e.g.,temperature settings, measurement of hydrocarbon refrigerant quantity,amount of time a motor or other components operate, electricity drawsfor operation of the motor or other components, etc.). The additionaloperational data and information is collected by the control system 70associated with the merchandiser 10, which communicates the data andinformation with the database 90.

Using the data and information stored in the database 90, theapplication 250 can conduct an analysis to actively manage themerchandiser 10. For example, at step 275, the application 250communicates with the database 90 to acquire certain data, which mayinclude any desired portion or sub-set of the data in the database 90,up to and including the entirety of the data. Next, at step 280, theapplication 250 conducts an energy conservation analysis by executing analgorithm by a program or computer-enabled instructions. The energyconservation analysis converts energy usage of the merchandiser 10 intoa cost for a period of time (e.g. a monthly or yearly cost ofoperation), and analyzes operational data in view of operational orcontrol parameters of the merchandiser 10. Based on the analysis, atstep 285 the application 250 presents one or more recommendations forenergy savings. The recommendations for energy savings can include, butis not limited to, adjustments to operational or control parameters ofthe merchandiser 10, and recommendations for equipment or componentreplacement that provides energy savings. These energy conservationmeasures are then communicated to a recipient, who is the owner, user,or other party responsible for the merchandiser 10 at the retailenvironment or store, for consideration and implementation.

As another example of additional analysis to actively manage themerchandiser 10, at step 290, the application 250 communicates with thedatabase 90 to acquire certain data, which may include any desiredportion or sub-set of the data in the database 90, up to and includingthe entirety of the data. The data acquired at step 290 is differentdata than the data acquired at step 275. However, in other embodiments,the data may partially or entirely be the same as the data acquired atstep 275. Next, at step 295, the application 250 conducts a total costof ownership (TCO) analysis, which can include a calculation ofestimated energy usage, estimated anticipated maintenance costs, andestimated hydrocarbon refrigerant costs (including replacement ofhydrocarbon refrigerant) for a period of time (e.g. a monthly oryearly). In addition, the application 250 provides a sustainabilitymetric that includes a direct impact on global warming based on leakingor inadvertently released hydrocarbon refrigerant, and an indirectimpact on global warming based on energy usage by the merchandiser 10.Both the direct and indirect impact sustainability metrics can beprovided in a carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent. Based on the analysis, atstep 300 the application 250 presents the total cost of ownership andsustainability metrics for consideration by the recipient. In addition,the application 250 can provide the recipient recommendations forrepairs, replacement, and/or an upgrade of the merchandiser 10 and theassociated impact on the total cost of ownership and sustainabilitymetrics, allowing the recipient to make an informed and proactivedecision regarding reinvestment into the merchandiser 10.

As another example of analysis to actively manage the merchandiser 10,at step 305 the application 250 communicates with the database 90 toacquire certain data, which may include any desired portion or sub-setof the data in the database 90, up to and including the entirety of thedata. The data acquired at step 305 is different data than the dataacquired at steps 275 or 290. However, in other embodiments, the datamay partially or entirely be the same as the data acquired at steps 275or 290. Next, at step 310, the application 250 conducts an analysis ofthe operational data to ascertain whether the control system 70 isproperly controlling the merchandiser 10. For example, the application250 can acquire a temperature set point, an actual temperaturemeasurement in the merchandiser 10, and the electricity usageinformation of the merchandiser 10 for a period of time. By analyzingthe temperature set point and actual temperature against a predictedelectricity usage or a prior, known electricity usage for themerchandiser 10 at the temperature set point, the application 250 candetermine whether control system 70 is properly controlling themerchandiser 10. The application 250 then presents the analysis resultsto the recipient, along with any recommendations for improvements orrepairs (such as repairs to the control system 70 or components thereof,etc.) at step 315.

FIG. 13 illustrates other examples of the operations and maintenanceaspect of the process 250, shown in a flow chart format. The operationsand maintenance aspect includes a regional monitoring and managedservices portion 320 that is in communication with an advance serviceintelligence portion 322, and a smart asset portion 324. Each portion320, 322, 324 is in communication with the network or Internet 85 andthe database 90. The regional monitoring and managed services portion320 centrally monitors merchandisers 10 (and other equipment) across anenterprise, and tracks performance metrics to improve equipmentportfolio management. The advanced service intelligence portion 322provides real-time monitoring of operational (or in-service)merchandisers 10, and provides transparency into the current operationalstate of theses merchandisers 10. This intelligence improves longevityand operational costs of the merchandisers 10. Further, automation ofservices and maintenance activities can reduce costly repairs anddowntimes, while also notifying service technicians of service needs.The smart asset portion 324 can improve the operations and maintenanceassociated with the merchandiser 10. The operations and maintenanceaspect of the process 250 advantageously improves retail availability byreducing merchandiser 10 downtime. This in turn improves customersatisfaction, and improves product presentation, product quality, andproduct availability. Further, it reduces product losses through reducedspoilage. The aspect also improves operations of the merchandiser 10, asthe process 250 provides visibility into operations, energy consumption,and peak performance. This information in turn can reduce theoperational and maintenance costs of the merchandiser 10.

Referring now to FIG. 14, another exemplary application is depicted inthe form of an inventory and supply chain management application 350.The application 350 improves supply chain management by detectingmissing, reduced, or depleted inventory on the shelf 65 of themerchandiser 10 (e.g., referred to as a “hole in the shelf”), providingnotification to replenish the shelf 65 (or to at least partially refillthe shelf), and manage inventory in the store (including reordering ofinventory). The application 350 includes a series of processinginstructions or steps, which are depicted in a flow chart or a flowdiagram form. The application 350 may be stored on the server 89, orstored on the computer system 130 of the monitoring and managed servicescenter 128. It should be appreciated that the application 350 is alsoillustrated in a portion of FIG. 5.

The application 350 begins at step 355, where the merchandiser 10 is incommunication with the server 89, and at least one inventory sensor 80with the merchandiser 10 is operating and detecting the presence of aproduct on the shelf 65.

At step 360, product is removed from the shelf 65, creating a hole inthe shelf 65. The inventory sensor 80 in the merchandiser 10 detects themissing product on the shelf (e.g., product that is removed by aconsumer for purchase, etc.), and communicates the detection to thecontrol system 70.

Next, at step 365, the application 350 accesses electronic productinventory records of the store. The inventory records are preferablystored on the server 89, but can be stored locally at the store. Theapplication analyzes the records to determine whether additionalinventory of the product associated with the missing product on theshelf 65 is present in the retail environment 87.

At step 370, the application provides remote verification of the missingproduct on the shelf 65 (e.g., a photo or live video stream by a camera,or other suitable detection device). This is to provide confirmation ofthe hole in the shelf and avoid a false detection of the inventorysensor 80. The confirmation is available for remote inspection andverification.

At step 375, an electronic notification communication is sent to aremote device indicating there is a missing product on the shelfcondition, providing the location of the shelf 65 in the retailenvironment 87 that has the missing product condition (e.g. themerchandiser 10 and associated shelf 65), and providing confirmation forremote verification of the missing product condition (e.g., to avoid afalse positive). The electronic communication can include, but is notlimited to, a text message, email message, an electronic notificationassociated with a mobile device application, etc. If there is additionalinventory available in the store 87 (or in transit to the store 95) torefill the missing product on the shelf, the notification includesinformation regarding the location of the replenishing inventory (e.g.location in the store, on a truck in route, on a truck being rerouted tothe store, in a distribution warehouse, etc.), which is provided at step380. If there is no additional inventory available (e.g., in the store,nearby, in route, etc.), the notification can include information thatthere is no replenishing inventory, and the status of the inventory(already reordered, out of stock, etc.). The remote electronic devicereceiving the communication can be accessed by a recipient, for example,but not limited to, an employee, plurality of employees, or otherindividual(s) having responsibility to maintain inventory on the shelfhaving the missing product condition. The remote electronic device canbe carried by the recipient (e.g., a tablet, a phone, etc.) for actionby the recipient (e.g., the employee replenishes the missing inventoryon the shelf).

Next, at step 385, after the employee acquires and replenishes themissing inventory on the shelf (e.g., deploys additional in storeinventory), the process analyzes the updated inventory records anddetermines whether additional in store inventory is desired. If theanalysis determines additional in store inventory is desired (i.e. “Yes”at step 385) the process proceeds to step 390. Similarly, if there is noreplenishing inventory in the store, the process bypasses thedetermination of step 385 and proceeds to step 390 (illustrated by abroken line in FIG. 13 from step 380 to step 390).

At step 390, the application 350 takes action to replenish the storeinventory. For example, the application 350 can place one or more orderswith an appropriate supplier or distributor, reroute inventory that isin transit to the store (or a different store), change an inventorydelivery data (e.g., move the delivery date of an existing order to anearlier or later date , etc.). After completion of the action, theprocess ends. If the analysis at step 385 determines no additional instore inventory is desired (i.e. “No” at step 385) the process ends.

FIG. 15 illustrates other examples of the supply chain management aspectof the process 350, shown in a flow chart format. The supply chainmanagement aspect includes a real time monitoring portion 392, a producttracking portion 394, and the regional monitoring and managed servicesportion 320 (from FIG. 13). The real time monitoring portion 392 detectsproduct presence on the merchandiser 10, interactions and consumerpresence in association with the merchandiser 10, and consumer travelpatterns within the retail environment 87. These interactions and travelpatterns quickly identify missing products, which can generate anotification to supply chain partners (e.g., suppliers, etc.) and/ormanage store level employees and/or activities to refill or restock themerchandiser 10 at aspect 398. The product tracking aspect 394differentiates between supply chain errors and misplaced products in aretail environment 87 to locate product. The regional monitoring andmanaged services portion 320 provides information relating tomonetization losses at a territory or region level, while alsoaggregating supply chain data across different operational levels (e.g.,store level, city level, region level, etc.) to provide operationalinsight and control necessary to manage deviations. The supply chainmanagement aspect of the process 350 can advantageously maintain fullshelves on merchandisers 10 by promptly replenishing missing inventoryat a shelf and/or store level, which drive sales. In addition, thesupply chain management aspect of the process 350 improves customersatisfaction based on desired or needed products being in stock (e.g.,on the shelf, in the store, etc.). Further, the supply chain managementaspect of the process 350 prioritizes replenishment of missing productbased on sales volume and customer traffic patterns, which can bothincrease profitability and customer satisfaction.

FIG. 16 depicts another exemplary application in the form of a shopperengagement application 450. The application 450 improves engagement withthe shopper or consumer at the point of decision making (e.g., at themerchandiser 10) while customizing information presented to the consumerat the store based on consumer preferences. The application 450 includesa series of processing instructions or steps, which are depicted in aflow chart or a flow diagram form. The application 450 may be stored onthe server 89, or stored on the computer system 130 of the monitoringand managed services center 128. It should be appreciated that theapplication 450 is also illustrated in a portion of FIG. 5.

The application 450 begins at step 455, at the point where the consumerhas access to a portal to provide information including consumerpreferences. The portal may be provided by electronic communication, forexample by the internet, through an electronic communication (e-mail),by a mobile device application, etc.

At step 460, the consumer provides information and preferences throughthe portal. The information may include personal identificationinformation (e.g. birthday, gender, preferred social media, emailaddress, etc.) and purchasing preferences (e.g. preferred types orcategories of products, preferred brands of products, etc.). Thisinformation is gathered and simultaneously (or subsequently) stored inthe database 90 with the personal identification information of theconsumer (i.e., the preferences are tied to the consumer) at step 465.

Next, at step 470, the system periodically accesses the database 90 tointeract with the consumer regarding the stored preferences throughelectronic communication (e.g., email, etc.) and/or the preferred socialmedia (e.g., FACEBOOK®, TWITTER®, etc.). For example, the system maysend an email to the consumer indicating that a purchasing preference ison sale (e.g., an email indicating one or more items stored in thedatabase 90 is on sale). As a more detailed example, if the database 90includes COLGATE® brand toothpaste as a purchasing preference of theconsumer, the system can send an email to the consumer indicatingCOLGATE® brand toothpaste (or a related product) is on sale. As anotherexample, the system may send a direct communication to the consumer byFACEBOOK® indicating a purchasing preference is on sale.

At step 470, the system detects the presence of the consumer in thestore at step 475. For example, the system uses a wireless connection(e.g., a connection such as Bluetooth, ANT+, NFC, ZigBee, Z-Wave, GPS,etc.) in the store (or from a beacon associated with the merchandiser10) to detect or otherwise communicate with an application downloaded toa mobile device (e.g., cell phone, tablet, etc.) by the consumer. If thesystem does not detect the consumer (i.e. “No” at step 475), step 475 isrepeated until the system detects the presence of the consumer. Upondetecting the presence of a consumer (i.e. “Yes” at step 475), theprocess proceeds to step 480.

At step 480, the system initiates tracking of consumer movement in thestore. For example, the system uses the wireless connection with theconsumer's mobile device to track the consumer in the store (e.g., viaBluetooth, etc.), such as with one or more wireless beacons positionedin the store.

Next, at step 485, the system initiates customized product promotionsfor the consumer based on the consumer's purchasing preferences. Forexample, the store may include one or more kiosks or displays thatprovide audio, verbal, or visual (e.g., video) information. As theconsumer approaches the kiosk, the system presents a customizedadvertisement or product information on the kiosk (e.g., location ofcertain items or brands within the store, etc.) relating to theconsumer's purchasing preferences. Proximity of the consumer's mobiledevice relative to the kiosk may trigger the kiosk to present therelevant information. For example, to trigger the connection, the kioskcan send a communication to the mobile device, or the mobile device cansend a communication to the kiosk.

In another example, the merchandiser 10 can provide visual information,such as colored lights, flashing lights, or messages (e.g., on a user orconsumer device such as a smartphone) that direct the consumer to one ormore products in the merchandiser 10 associated with the consumer'spurchasing preferences. A similar proximity connection with theconsumer's mobile device may trigger the merchandiser 10.

In yet another example, the customized advertisement or productinformation can be presented on a device associated with themerchandiser 10 (e.g., a display or screen attached to, mounted on, ormounted proximate to and in communication with the merchandiser 10,etc.), the consumer's mobile device, and/or a display integrated intothe merchandiser 10 (e.g., a digital display on the merchandiser 10presenting customized product pricing of product on the shelf, theproduct pricing being adjustable in response to detection of theconsumer or the consumer's mobile device, etc.). Examples of additionalvisual information provided by the merchandiser 10 are disclosed in thepatents and patent applications listed and incorporated by reference inthis written description (above).

It should be appreciated that steps 475 to 485 as discussed above can beimplemented in response to the application 450 (e.g., the applicationdetects the consumer in the store at step 475), or in response to arequest by the consumer. For example, at step 475 the consumer caninteract with the application 450, such as by submitting a query (orquestion) to the application 450 through the consumer's mobile device(e.g., inquire as to a location of an item in the store, inquire as to alocation of a sale item, etc.). The beacon (e.g., a Bluetooth beacon orother suitable wireless connection beacon), can establish communicationwith the consumer's mobile device, detect the location of the consumerin the store, and then provide a response to the consumer with regard tothe query. A response can include, for example, audio or visualinstructions as to the location of the queried item (e.g., provide anaisle and case location, etc.), or directions to the queried item basedon the position (or location) of the consumer in the store. The responsecan be provided to the consumer on one or more of the consumer's mobiledevice, the merchandiser (e.g., a video display, lights, or othersuitable audio, video, and/or visual display), one or more kiosks in thestore, or any other associated communication device with the consumer.The application 450 can continue to track consumer movement at step 480,and further provide customized promotions at step 485 concurrently withthe consumer interacting with the application 450.

At step 490, the system tracks products the consumer removes from theshelf. For example, based on the location information of the consumeracquired during the consumer tracking step 480, and the inventory sensor80 in the merchandiser 10, the system identifies and tracks theproduct(s) the consumer removes from the merchandiser. The systemverifies the products taken by the consumer at step 495, where thesystem determines what products the consumer purchases at the storeregister. For example, the location information of the consumer in thestore indicates when the consumer is at the register. The systemconnects products scanned at the register with the consumer, and usesthe listing of products to develop additional information regarding thepurchasing patterns of the consumer. The listing of products andconsumer identification information may be stored in the database 90.

Next, the system analyzes the purchases by the consumer at step 500. Theanalysis includes identifying products the consumer purchased that fallwithin the consumer's purchasing preferences, along with products (orcategories of products) that the consumer regularly purchases (e.g.,products and/or brands that the consumer purchases consistently over aperiod of time as determined by analyzing the purchasing trends of theconsumer based on information stored in the database 90). The systemalso determines whether any customized promotions were effective in step505. For example, the system determines whether any products that weresubject to a customized product promotion (in step 485) were purchasedby consumer. In step 510, the system updates or supplements theconsumer's purchasing preferences by incorporating the results of thepurchasing analysis in step 500, and the effectiveness of the customizedproduct promotions determined in step 505. This provides a continualupdate of the consumer's purchasing preferences, allowing for relevantcustomized product promotions for the consumer and improved consumerengagement. The process then returns to step 465 to store the updated orsupplemented consumer purchasing preferences in the database 90, and theprocess repeats.

FIG. 17 illustrates other examples of the shopper engagement aspect ofthe process 450, shown in a flow chart format. The shopper engagementaspect includes an active shopper portion 515 and a potential shopperportion 520. The active shopper portion 515 detects a customer'spresence in a retail environment 87 to customize a retail experience,provides customized promotions at the shelf (or merchandiser 10), andpersonalized promotions throughout the retail environment 87 byintegrated video and/or kiosks. This individually shapes the in-storecustomer experience based on customer population, while also collectscustomer presence data through the store (e.g., customer telemetry,travel patterns, etc.) to track promotion effectiveness. In addition,the active shopper portion 515 tracks product data through the store(e.g., product telemetry, product movement, etc.) at the shelf (ormerchandiser 10), at the register, and/or through a digital application.This product tracking provides data on promotion effectiveness on sales,while also closing the loop on shopper engagement as it can generatetargeted promotions in the future. The potential shopper portion 520provides for latent engagement of customers (or potential customers) athome to encourage entering the retail environment 87 (e.g., by onlineadvertisements, data acquisition, etc.). The portion 520 also engagesactive customers located near (but not in) the retail environment 87 atwith product promotions to encourage or motivate customers to enter theretail environment 87. The shopper engagement aspect of the process 450can advantageously provide multi-channel engagement with customers (orpotential customers) through continuous promotion and engagement cyclesbefore, during, and after entering the retail environment 87 toreinforce buying decisions. The aspect also improves the effectivenessof the retail experience through customized, dynamic interactions withcustomers. These interactions improve customer satisfaction, ease theshopping process, and provide continuous refreshes of the retailenvironment 87. The aspect also advantageously provides data, and anunderstanding of promotions, presences, product movement, and shopperpsychology to increase a shopper's purchase volume and associated spend.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in thefollowing claims.

1. An equipment monitoring system for a merchandiser including a productdisplay, the equipment monitoring system comprising: a control systemdefining a data acquisition node and having a microprocessor and acommunication link, the control system configured to be in communicablycoupled to the merchandiser; a server in remote communication with thecontrol system via a network providing a communication bridge betweenthe data acquisition node and the server, the server including adatabase configured to store data communicated from the data acquisitionnode via the network, and one or more applications having executableprocessing instructions; equipment monitoring sensors configured to becoupled to one or more components of the merchandiser and to obtainstatus data regarding the status of the one or more components, theequipment monitoring sensors in communication with the data acquisitionnode via the communication link to communicate the status data to theserver; and wherein the one or more applications are programmed toexecute processing instructions configured to conduct program analysisfor the one or more components using the status data based on real timeinformation and historical information associated with the merchandiserto determine a predictive component failure associated with the one ormore components, and wherein the equipment monitoring sensors include atleast two of a power usage monitor, wherein the status data includespower usage of the one or more components and the program analysisdetermines whether the power usage is outside of a set limit todetermine the predictive component failure associated with power usage,a door sensor, wherein the status data includes door usage data and theprogram analysis determines the predictive component failure associatedwith a door, and an accelerometer, wherein the status data includesmotor vibration data and the program analysis determines the predictivecomponent failure associated with a motor.
 2. The equipment monitoringsystem of claim 1, wherein the status data further includeschronological information and component identification information. 3.The equipment monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the program analysisis further configured to monitor one or more of the equipment monitoringsensors to detect the existence of an out-of-limit condition associatedwith the one or more of the equipment monitoring sensors beingmonitored.
 4. The equipment monitoring system of claim 3, wherein theone or more applications are further programmed to analyze another ofthe equipment monitoring sensors to determine whether the out-of-limitcondition is due to normal use, a potential equipment failure, or anexisting equipment failure.
 5. The equipment monitoring system of claim1, wherein the one or more applications are programmed to executeadditional processing instructions configured to: generate and sendelectronic correspondence from the application to an electronic deviceupon the program analysis predicting a failure of the one or morecomponents, the electronic correspondence identifying the predictedfailure, a recommended repair or replacement, and providing aninteractive scheduling selector; identify via the one or moreapplications an appropriate service technician once a recipient accessesthe interactive scheduling selector by the electronic device; presentvia the electronic correspondence scheduling options to the recipient bythe electronic device; and schedule the service technician via the oneor more applications in response to the recipient selecting a desiredscheduling option by the electronic device.
 6. The equipment monitoringsystem of claim 5, wherein the one or more applications are programmedto execute additional processing instructions configured to: determinevia the one or more applications the availability of a replacement forthe at least one component in response to the recipient accessing theinteractive scheduling selector by the electronic device; and order areplacement for the at least one component via the one or moreapplications in response to a determination that a replacement for theat least one component is unavailable in a local storage facility. 7.The equipment monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the door usage dataincludes number of times and duration one or more doors are open orclosed.
 8. The equipment monitoring system of claim 1, wherein theequipment monitoring sensors include a pressure sensor and a temperaturesensor associated with a refrigeration system of the product display andthe status data includes pressure data and temperature data, and whereinthe program analysis determines a predictive refrigeration systemfailure.
 9. The equipment monitoring system of claim 1, wherein theequipment monitoring sensors include a fan sensor and the status dataincludes fan operation data, and wherein the program analysis determinesa predictive fan failure.
 10. The equipment monitoring system of claim1, wherein the equipment monitoring sensors include a defrost sensor andthe status data includes defrost operation data, and wherein the programanalysis determines a predictive defrost failure.
 11. A method ofmonitoring equipment associated with a merchandiser including a productdisplay, the method comprising: obtaining status data associated withone or more components of the merchandiser with equipment monitoringsensors; transmitting the status data between the equipment monitoringsensors and a data acquisition node of a control system of themerchandiser via a communication link, the control system in remotecommunication with a server via a network, the server including adatabase configured to store data communicated from the data acquisitionnode via the network, and one or more applications having executableprocessing instructions; and running the one or more applications toexecute processing instructions including: executing processinginstructions to conduct program analysis for the one or more componentsusing the status data based on real time information and historicalinformation associated with the merchandiser to determine a predictivecomponent failure associated with the one or more components, whereinthe equipment monitoring sensors include at least two of a power usagemonitor, wherein the status data includes power usage of the one or morecomponents and the program analysis determines whether the power usageis outside of a set limit to determine the predictive component failureassociated with power usage, a door sensor, wherein the status dataincludes door usage data and the program analysis determines thepredictive component failure associated with a door, and anaccelerometer, wherein the status data includes motor vibration data andthe program analysis determines the predictive component failureassociated with a motor.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:generating and sending electronic correspondence from the application toan electronic device upon the program analysis predicting a failure ofthe one or more components, the electronic correspondence identifyingthe predicted failure, a recommended repair or replacement, andproviding an interactive scheduling selector; identifying via the one ormore applications an appropriate service technician once a recipientaccesses the interactive scheduling selector by the electronic device;presenting via the electronic correspondence scheduling options to therecipient by the electronic device; and scheduling the servicetechnician via the one or more applications in response to the recipientselecting a desired scheduling option by the electronic device.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising: determining via the one or moreapplications the availability of a replacement for the one or morecomponents in response to the recipient accessing the interactivescheduling selector by the electronic device; and ordering a replacementfor the one or more components via the one or more applications inresponse to a determination that a replacement for the at least onecomponent is unavailable in a local storage.
 14. The method of claim 11,wherein the status data further includes chronological information andcomponent identification information.
 15. The method of claim 11,further comprising monitoring, via the program analysis, one or more ofthe equipment monitoring sensors to detect the existence of anout-of-limit condition associated with the one or more of the equipmentmonitoring sensors being monitored.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising analyzing, via the program analysis, another of the equipmentmonitoring sensors and determining whether the out-of-limit condition isdue to normal use, a potential equipment failure, or an existingequipment failure.
 17. A method of engaging consumers in a retailenvironment comprising: gathering purchasing preferences of a consumer;storing the purchasing preferences in an electronic database on aserver; accessing the database to send communications to the consumerrelating to the purchasing preferences by one of electroniccommunication or social media; detecting the presence of the consumer inthe retail environment by a mobile device; generating a customizedproduct promotion for the consumer by accessing the purchasingpreferences stored in the database; detecting the consumer by themerchandiser communicating with the mobile device; and presenting thecustomized product promotion to the consumer through the merchandiser.18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: tracking the movement ofthe consumer in the retail environment; detecting the consumer by akiosk in the retail environment communicating with the mobile device;and presenting the customized product promotion to the consumer throughthe kiosk.
 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: trackingproducts removed from the merchandiser by the consumer by the locationof the consumer and a signal from an inventory sensor indicating removalof the product from the merchandiser.
 20. The method of claim 17,further comprising: electronically communicating to the databaseproducts purchased by the consumer at a register; analyzing whether theconsumer purchased a product presented in the customized productpromotion; and determining an effectiveness of the customized productpromotion.